Melancholy
by ForExperimentalPurposes
Summary: (Working on the Summary, I pinkie promise) I don't know who or where I am, but...here, in this forest, where a bittersweet feeling reigns over all others, maybe I'll be able to find out and get home, assuming I have one. T for Mild Language and Mild Gore.
1. Chapter 1

Trying my hand to create a new/unique RWBY story. Though I'm not quite sure just how "unique" it will be, given the now 9.5K fanfictions for the show, I myself only having read roughly 100 of them, I'm giving it my best, damn it. Seeing as this is my first story, I very immensely doubt this'll get up to the level of fame that the people I look up to (e.g. Coeur Al'Aran, College Fool, Super Saiyan Cyndaquil, etc.) are at, that doesn't mean I'd mind it doing so, and still, even if I don't, that won't stop me from writing this, since I have every intent to finish it.

Any and all constructive criticism will always be appreciated.

Chapter One: Conscious

Song: Panic Prone, by Chevelle

I suppose the first thing I saw whenever I came to was, well, the lack of things.

In that, I mean the first thing I opened my eyes to was a searingly bright white, flooding my brain and sending jabs of pain throughout my nerves, and my immediate response was closing them once more, gritting my teeth together, to voice my disapproval with a significantly muted grunt as it had trouble reaching past my locked jaw. Though didn't really stop it from giving a good attempt.

As I gathered myself together, and preparing my body for the wracking pain I'm going to give it once more, I slowly opened my eyes, delidding them little by little to let the pain settle before continuing the hellish process and have it act up again. Then only for the pain settle back down as time crept slowly along. At this pace, seconds crawled along like minutes, but since I was focusing, before I knew it, they were open wide. The painful white now a deep orange, leaking through a canopy of rustling leaves, swaying easily to the soft wind, only to stop occasionally as the wind died, just to act up again shortly thereafter. Peaceful, this world around me using the wind to make a noise that the leaves, but only helped to fill the otherwise dead quiet marginally. With a motion, and a bit of effort, I started to sit up, and reached out to press my hand against a tree, hoisting my upper body up, and dragging myself back to lean onto it. Once that was all over, I unlocked my fixation on what was above, and looked around.

I was in a forest. Given by the sound resonating from the leaves around, and the ankle-high grass, this forest had to stretch far. Very far. Without moving my head, I looked straight, then from side to side, nothing to note, and, seeing my objective to get an observation completed, I just rested my head back and took it in. I felt, in my gut, that it must have been dusk, beams of light streaking through any holes the leaves above didn't fill, coloring the world a bright orange, the grass and leaves billowing as gusts of winds seemed to make the earth ripple as it streaked across. It was...beautiful, one could say. But looking at it, with the dead quiet only seemed to give me a feeling of sadness. Of emptiness, per se. A feeling that one could relate to as bittersweet. I'm...not sure why I feel this, but it still just left me with that lingering feeling. So, I just sat there, not moving a muscle. Closing my eyes again, feeling my hair sway along with the movement of the world, and just breathed.

I don't know how long I did it. Time felt strange. Not in a supernatural sense, or like it was being affected, but more like it was just...me, I guess. In a way that's opposite of when time passed slowly, like when I woke up. Now, it felt, though if I only closed my eyes for minutes, I opened them to see the light fading, the world around me getting smaller as the trees, the leaves, the grass, all at the very background of the image my eyes portrayed were replaced by black, and closing in quickly. As mixed an emotion between solace and downcast I got from sitting here, I had a feeling that staying in this spot for the night wouldn't turn out well. With more effort than I expected, I got up, my body's joints cracking as it took on the weight of myself almost like my body was rusty, and was promptly met with a sense of vertigo as I stumbled a bit, falling some and pressing all of mass I can against the tree, legs giving way as my vision faded, if only for a moment. As fast as it happened, I recovered even faster.

I exhaled, a deep sigh somewhere between quiet and loud that sounded strangely like the nature around me, like the wind's breath, and stood up once more, this time without complications.

I looked down, taking note of my conditions. Torn gloves, with a piece of metal guard just under the edging, jeans ripped in patches, sneakers, and...a sword at my waist? Was it mine? I...don't recall owning one. I continued my observation, noting two crossed belts, a chest place, light and meant for less protection and more maneuverability, and a black hoodie, orange on the inside. I suppose it's all mine. Just before I mentally shrugged, I felt something stick out very pointedly at me.

Who am I? I thought.

xXxXx

AN: In case that little bit of self-inspection didn't spell it out, yes, it is indeed Jaune.

Disclaimer: I am not, under any circumstance doing this for profit, and do not own RWBY, it's original ideas and it's affiliations.

Though I'm absolutely sure you knew that already, it's apparently a thing to just toss that out there anyways, just to make sure I'm not somehow getting sued for whatever reason someone can throw at me for writing this.

…

I don't own the song either.


	2. Chapter 2

**Now, for another!**

 **Gonna try and tone down the descriptiveness, but still keep it well-detailed. If you'd like, please let me know if it's a good balance, or if it's so absolutely atrocious you'd feel the need to wash your eyes out with oxi-clean.**

 _ **Chapter Two: Visiting**_

My question was quickly met with a bodily reply, my head immediately starting to throb hard as I probed it for answers, searching for something, _anything_ that'd offer a hint, to met again by both more pain, and a negative. I had no idea who I was. Why? I started searching to see if I knew of anyone that could TELL me. Again, negative. My heart went up to my throat, and I could hear it pound loudly, as I felt at a loss. Nothing. I had nothing to go on. As soon as I gave up, the pain subsided. Weird.

I should've noticed that I had no recollection of anything sooner, but it's hard to remember that you've forgot that you, well, forget, in essence.

 **Okay, what** _ **did**_ **I remember?**

As soon as I ran a check, chills spread through me. The Grimm. The only thing I remember, what I _know_. How could I not have remembered it sooner? They're pretty damn tough to forget, what with the "creatures born in the dark, the ones that successfully hunted Humanity, to near extinction". How with their fangs and talons, they clawed away at them, at _us_ , down to the very last bits of it, bringing castles that stood tall down to mere studs. Why did I only remember this? More questions I didn't have answers to, I figured. I clenched my jaw, my arms already shaking. From fear? No...I'm not sure what I felt, but that wasn't it. I looked up from myself, and watched the last few columns of sunlight meet their end, the world fading. A new setting encroached, best described as a blur of dark. I give my best attempt to relax, taking deep breaths.

I knew that the Grimm supposedly could detect you from negative emotions, and they will if I don't. And though that wasn't a thought that's necessarily comforting, it certainly helped my priorities. I'm in a bad situation, and I'll have to adapt. Simple, but...somehow, I had a creeping feeling that, when I still had my memories, I was the type to get frightened easily. That's beside the point, me, that was then, and this is now... Like it's ever so easy to change, I still felt scared like a little baby. But, here's to hoping it'll settle if I don't run into anything, right? I strained my eyes, watching for anything that could spell danger and building up my confidence enough to get a move on, slowing my breathing as I still saw and heard nothing. I was still alone. Good. That'll change if I stay in one place, however.

On that note, I left. Walking in whatever direction I happened to be facing. And soon, as my eyes and ears adjusted to the quiet and gloom, my mood did along with it.

That didn't mean I dropped my guard, because you better believe I didn't for a friggin' second. Staying as far away from the bigger bushes as possible, avoiding thicker patches of dark, and have since drew my sword, keeping it in hand if only to offer myself the mental security. It did its job, I supposed, though I haven't the foggiest idea on how to use it. Couldn't even get much of a good look at it, either, given how dark it was. Soon, as the sun circled farther away, the world became pitch. Getting so black I had trouble just to keep myself from stumbling like a drunken fool, I glanced off to my side and saw a patch of light through the trees. Out of curiosity, and wanting to get out of this place where I can only see a good few feet ahead, I turned and walked toward it briskly, and came into a clearing. With the grass swaying slowly, the flowers reflecting the light the moon offered, it was...beautiful, to say the least. The light of the moon seemed to break through the dark that all but filled the surroundings before, and shining a brilliant, cerulean blue light. The flowers were magnificent too, though with the color scheme that permeated everything else, they still glowed in their own colors, lights of red and white, yellow and black, it gave me a weird feeling, but they all looked so...beautiful. The rest of the world was reminiscent of the ocean, the land that was visible to me was painted a soft blue from the night sky. I looked up, and took in the sight of the shattered moon. It was tranquil, if a bit sorrowful, for reasons beyond me.

Why did this wonderful place only make me feel empty?

I just breathed in the air, and decided to sit down and take it all in. Gotta stop and smell the this time literal flowers, right? I don't know how long I sat there, but befor the quiet was eventually replaced by faint sounds of rustling. Be it leaves or grass, my ears focused on the more minute things, and I looked away from the shattered moon and back down to earth, glancing all around me. What was at first nothing more than just swaying grass, it became a symphony of small sounds, movement all around me. I heard something a bit louder, and focused my sight to see if there was anything. To my surprise, though I kept it hidden, it was life. Animals, deer, rabbits, squirrels, common forest creatures that have probably never seen a human in their lives. Just gazing at me with curiosity. When I looked closer I could see them all, like everything else, but...as if they're coming to look at a new, foreign guest, they didn't step into the clearing with me, favoring to watch me, just beyond the safety under the cover of the foliage.

Grimm didn't attack animals. Human and Faunus were the only races they attacked, actually, and the wildlife were left to go about whatever they felt like doing, ninety percent of the world to themselves, to reign over as they see fit...and some decided to take their time and gaze at me. Not approaching, but not running, either. A feeling I could say as my response to it was...humbling. And I don't know when, but I guess all of my attention was set on returning the glances given to me by the animals and keeping a calm expression. Hoping to God they understood I meant no harm. I was in their territory, and somehow I don't think I'd like to know what would happen if I were unwelcome.

For what felt like an hour, we continued staring at eachother. They watched me, I watched them back. No sound once more, as they didn't even move. Then, all at once, they dispersed, leaving me alone again.

I sighed once more, and prepared myself to continue walking just as I was.

Not even three steps were taken until the silence was once again broken, except this time by a blood-curdling, monstrous roar.

Shit.

 **xXxXx**

 **Gotta be honest, not sure how well the chapter'll be received. I hope it goes well, at least, but if I find any issues in the chapters, or little screw-ups on my end, I'll correct those. This fanfiction'll serve as my...introductory? To refine what I have at a base, and, with the help of you, you lovely individual you, I hope to actually become a decent writer! What fun.**


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